Monday, May 9, 2016

On Meeting Oneself

On Meeting Oneself

From
the Introduction to Chapter XVII

Of
“Etiquette For Humans”, by Kathryn atLuna

Published
by Stellar House, Mars-Sun, Spring 3111

The act of meeting oneself is fraught
with pitfalls for the unwary gentleman. Few situations present more risk of
awkwardness, quarrels, or even physical or psychological injury, than this most
delicate of encounters. Strangely, this risk springs not from any
irreconcilable differences between the both of one* (see Chapter III, On Meeting Nonhumans) but on one’s total
lack of mutual differences. Since
both of one is precisely the same person, both of one might see in the other
all the faults that both might have preferred to keep hidden. It can be quite
disconcerting to see one’s clone (or past-self, or zirox, or faxim) commit
exactly those breaches of good manners of which one had previously been denying
any guilt. One’s identities may become confused, one may clash, one may in the
end find co-existence impossible.

The problem is exacerbated by the fact
that, in such a meeting, one of one is at an undeniable advantage. For
instance, a clone would rightly be confused as to whether or not his
clone-parent is his father, his brother, or himself; a time-traveller would know
a good part of his past-self’s future; a zirox is, by definition, merely an
imperfect matter-copy of his original, and so is at a social disadvantage to
anyone who had not walked out of a replicator; and a faxim, being no more real
than any other kind of computer-generated simulation, can scarcely hold his own
in society.

Given these considerations, it is
clear that the clone-parent, the time-traveler, the original, and the faxed
must be especially careful not to injure the feelings of the other of one.
Etiquette is a two-way street; therefore that other of one must be equally
circumspect. In sum, it is imperative that both of one pay close attention to
the proper forms and modes of good behavior.

Admittedly, this can be a difficult
task, with nearly insuperable problems confronting both of one. For example, it
may be very difficult for one of one to trust the other of one, and the other
of one might find problems in respecting the one of one. Breaches of this sort
are difficult to mend. And even if one is at ease with one, one’s combined
relationship is far from settled. For instance, one could vacillate between
being jointly cold and distant and being mutually overfamiliar.

It is a long hard road, yes, but one
can encourage oneself with this thought; that once one of one treats with warm
respect the other of one (and vice versa) then one has together begun a
friendship with oneself that will be invaluable to both.